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Just grin and "bear" it

One of the state's most difficult species to bag is also the most rewarding

By Tyler Frantz

For The Daily News

Updated:
11/16/2013 04:35:09 PM EST

The mighty Keystone State bruin has been a favorite focus of legend and lore in local hunting circles for countless generations. Yes, many a campfire has crackled and hissed beneath the sweet mountain music of an old-timer rambling on about his close encounters with "Ol' Blackie."

These beloved stories are as timeless as the bold, full-figured mammals they feature. But many are just that "¦ stories.

There are stories of the one that got away, the one that almost was, should've been, could've been, but in the end wasn't. There are stories of the bear that was stolen, the bear that stole the stand and the one that stole away to parts unknown. Bears are elusive critters, and hunting them isn't easy.

Pennsylvania is celebrated as having one of the most impressive black bear populations in the nation -- estimated at 16,000-18,000 bears. Because of this, a large number of sportsmen venture forth in pursuit of the treasured game animal each year. However, only a small percentage of hunters enjoy the fortune of sharing an actual harvest story.

A Pennsylvania black bear is the ultimate trophy -- one that generally isn't acquired often in a hunter's lifetime. Bagging one is doable but rare, and successful hunters most often put in their time scouting, put on some miles, or simply pull on their lucky underwear that day and fall into a good heaping pile of it.

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Despite the low odds of success, bear hunting has had some notable years as of late. According to a recent PA Game Commission press release, "The 2012 harvest of 3,632 bears statewide represents the third largest in state history. And last year's take follows an all-time record harvest of 4,350 bears set in 2011."

On top of this, bear hunting opportunities have recently been liberally expanded in comparison to the long history of the state's traditional three-day rifle season, which reigned supreme for many years.

Now, a four-day rifle season is the norm for bear hunting, as is the preceding five-day statewide archery season. Of all the bears harvested last year, 262 were taken with archery tackle -- an extreme challenge gaining popularity among hunters.

Additionally, in an effort to "suppress conflicts that might arise from bear populations expanding into more inhabited parts of the state," (as stated in the press release), the PGC has decided to offer concurrent bear hunting during the archery, early muzzleloader and firearms deer seasons in WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C, and 5D this year.

An extended bear season will also run concurrently through portions of the regular firearms deer season in WMUs 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4C, 4D and 4E. Hunters are encouraged to refer to their PA Hunting and Trapping Digests for more detailed bear season information.

As Bob Dylan once said, "Times they are a changin'." But one constant truth remains -- many more bears survive each year than are taken by hunters, and their population continues to grow exponentially as they resourcefully expand to different regions of the state.

Hunters looking to increase their odds of bagging a bear should focus on available food sources and heavy cover, since that is where they'll most likely be found bulking up in anticipation of winter hibernation.

In forested areas, acorns, beechnuts and late-season berries are favored by the large omnivores. Find an abundance of these food supplies in close proximity to dense laurel and hemlocks, and bears will not be far away. Hunt the benches where you can visually cover as much of a hillside as possible. They can move here all day.

Where available, standing corn will also be a hot draw for bears since it provides a rich dose of carbohydrates. Look for bear trails, which are wider than deer trails, leading to and from these fields and be ready for action first thing in the morning.

Swamp country can also be an effective starting point for locating bear sign. Some of the state's largest bears in recent years have come from the Pocono region of our state where swamp thickets dominate. If you discover multiple bear droppings near a prime transition area, use a climbing treestand and stick things out.

Hunting with a gang is also a popular option. If you can team up with a hunting camp or another group of like-minded bear hunters working together in organized fashion to move bears through heavy cover, your chances of seeing a bear drastically improve. These groups often share the harvest, and the team approach be a lot of fun.

"There's never been a better time to hunt bears," says Mark Ternent, chief bear biologist for the PGC.

As a hunter who has been fortunate to harvest three bruins in the past six seasons, I must admit that I feel somewhat inclined to agree with him. I know I'll be out there again this year trying for bear number four.

Good luck to all my bear hunting brethren. Be safe and enjoy the challenge.

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